Author: Editor
Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The South-East Renewed Hope Agenda (SERHA), a non-political organisation, has empowered over 1,000 individuals in Anambra State as part of its efforts to enhance economic well-being and mobilize support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 reelection bid. The empowerment programme, held Saturday in Awka, featured the distribution of various items, including mini buses, motorcycles, grinding machines, sewing machines, and hairdressing kits. In addition to the equipment, SERHA disbursed financial support to beneficiaries: 100 individuals received ₦200,000 each; 200 received ₦100,000; 300 received ₦50,000; and 500 indigent families received ₦20,000 each. Speaking during the event, SERHA National Coordinator, Hon.…
Agency Report Governors Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and Alex Otti of Abia State on Saturday expressed divergent views on the creation of new states during a public hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution. The hearing, organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, took place in Owerri and covered both Imo and Abia states. While Governor Uzodimma advocated for additional states in the South-East to address what he described as long-standing marginalisation, Governor Otti, represented by his deputy, Mr. Ikechukwu Emetu, raised concerns over the economic implications of creating more states. Uzodimma argued that the…
By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu “The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.” Article 21(3), Universal Declaration of Human Rights In April 2017, Maina Kiai changed the face of presidential elections in Kenya. He is neither a politician nor was he a candidate or aspirant seeking political office. Maina trained as a lawyer. For five years, from 2003 he Chaired Kenya’s National Human Rights Commission.…
Our Reporter, Abuja The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s latest wave of political appointments, describing them as a “desperate and cynical” attempt to regain lost support in Northern Nigeria. In a statement issued on Saturday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, accused the president of engaging in “political panic management” after more than two years of what he termed “neglect, arrogance, and unprecedented nepotism.” “You cannot marginalize a region for over twenty-five months and expect applause because you suddenly remembered on the twenty-sixth month that Nigeria is bigger than Lagos State,” Abdullahi said, in…
Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The Ebonyi State Government has denied allegations published by Sahara Reporters suggesting that officials of its Ministry of Women Affairs, in collusion with other government agencies, sold a baby for N25 million. The report alleged the involvement of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigeria Police, and other agencies in the purported illicit transaction. Addressing the media at a joint press briefing in Abakaliki on Friday, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Mr. Ikeuwa Omebeh, and the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Felicia Nwamkpuma, described the report…
Our Reporter, Abuja Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association and Edo State Labour Party governorship candidate, Olumide Akpata, has strongly condemned Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State over a controversial video in which the Governor allegedly threatened former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, not to visit Edo without his “permission.” Reacting in a statement posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, Akpata expressed disbelief upon first seeing the clip, describing it as something that looked like an AI-generated video or “a poorly written skit.” However, he noted that with no denial or clarification from the Governor or his…
Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Vice Chancellor of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Professor Aloysius-Michaels Okolie, has said that Nigeria’s university system would have collapsed without the intervention of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). Professor Okolie made the statement at ESUT’s permanent site in Agbani during the inauguration of several TETFund-sponsored projects. The inauguration was led by Dr. Esther Ukachukwu, a member of the TETFund Board of Trustees representing the South-East, alongside the South-East Coordinator of the Fund, Catherine Onuoha, and other officials. According to the VC, most of the iconic structures and essential facilities in universities…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Kaduna State Police Command has banned a planned birthday rally in honour of Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, citing credible intelligence that the event could be hijacked by hoodlums. The rally, part of a nationwide march scheduled for Saturday, July 19, by Obi’s supporters known as the Obidients, was intended to celebrate the former Anambra State Governor’s 64th birthday. In a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, the police claimed to have received “credible intelligence suggesting that the rally, though intended as a show of support, may be…
…Rally in Abia to mark Obi’s birthday Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Obidient Movement, Abia State chapter, has called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to step down from his rumoured 2027 presidential ambition and support Mr. Peter Obi, describing such a move as the ultimate act of patriotism. While acknowledging Atiku’s past contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey, the group urged him to crown his efforts by backing Obi, whom they described as possessing the “magic wand” to rescue and reset the country. The Obidients specifically appealed to Atiku not to contest the presidential ticket of the coalition African Democratic Congress…
Our Reporter, Abuja Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has joined millions of Nigerians to celebrate the 64th birthday of former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, describing him as a beacon of integrity, compassion, and progressive leadership. In a heartfelt tribute on Saturday, Governor Otti hailed Mr. Obi as a true statesman whose life and leadership have consistently exemplified values of service, humility, and nation-building. “Happy 64th birthday to my brother and friend, His Excellency Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, CON,” Otti said, adding that Obi’s legacy goes beyond…